Embalming-couch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

{No Model.)

W. ()LOUSER.v EMBALMING COUCH. No. 546,305}. Patented. Sept. 17,1895,

r 1 0. E WITNESSES; WW1 INVENTOR:

TTOHNEY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GLOUSER. EMBALMING 00mm.

No. 546,302. Patented Sept. 1'7, 1895.

Hum 11 Inventor:

Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

WILLIAM CLOUSER, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

EMBALMlNG-COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,302, datedSeptember 17, 1895.

Application filed November 7,1894. Serial No. 528,142. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CLOUSER, a citizen otthe United States,residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Embalming-Couches,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawlugs.

My invention relates to improvements in embalming tables or couches usedby undertakers, but it might in some cases be used in tables, &c., usedfor other purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved embalming-couch ofthe character described which will be convenient in use, simple inconstruction, and easily carried about.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of anembalming-couch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalvertical section taken near the center of the couch. Fig. 3 is an endview of the body portion of the couch. Fig. at is a longitudinalvertical section of the body portion, taken near one side. Fig. 5 is aside view of the couch when folded up. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of aportion of the headrest slide with the dogging device in its elevatedposition. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the head-restslide with the dogging device in itslowered or engaging position. Fig. 8is a perspective view of the pawl or dogging device. Fig. 9 is aperspective view of the headrest. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of aportion of the head-rest slide, taken on line 03a: of Fig. 7, showingalso the head-rest in position. It may be stated that Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9,and 10 are drawn to a larger scale.

My improved couch has three principal parts, which will be designated asa body portion A, a head portion B, and a foot portion 0. The bodyportion A has side rails a a, which are connected together by slats a aand the frame-pieces a and a The head portion B has side rails 11 b,which are connected together by slats 1) 19 The foot portion 0 has siderails c c, which are connected together by slats c c and the frame-piece0 The body portion A has curved supports or rockers d d. Each rocker dis placed beneath a rail a, and has one end hinged thereto at d Theother end of the rocker is secured to the lower end of leg orconnecting-piece d and the upper end of said leg d is hinged to rail 0.at 11. Brace-rods ff, Fig. 3, have their upper ends pivotally attachedby means of hook-and-eye connections at f f 2 with rails a a. The lowerends of brace-rods f f are provided with books f f adapted to fit intorings or screw-eyes f said rings or screweyes being attached to theinnersidcs of legs d d These brace-rods f f hold the rockers d d firmlyin position and prevent their swinging around the hinges or pivotalpoints d and 61 Each rocker d carries at its lower end a small wheel at,the wheel being secured to the side of the rocker by means of a screw orother bearing d.

The foot portion 0 is secured to body portion A by means of hinges g g,said hinges connecting frame-pieces a and c Braces 72 h have their upperends pivotally attached by means of screws or other bearings 72, h tothe inner sides of rails c 0, while their lower ends carry hooks h 72adapted to fit into rings or screw-eyes 7L 7L4, said rings being securedto rockers at (Z. These braces 71 h prevent the foot portion 0 fromswinging around the hinges or pivotal points g g.

Supplemental rails c c are placed inside of rails c c and extend fromthe extremities of frame-piece c to points beyond rail 0 c, convergingtoward each other. These rails c a carry at their outer ends the shortslat 0 A cross-piece It extends between the inner sides of rails a a andhas its ends attached, pivotally, axially with the cross piece by meansof screws or other bearings to said rails a a. A leg or brace-rod itextends downward from the center of this cross-piece it, being rigidlysecured thereto. A brace-rod is pivotally attached, by means of itshookand-eye connection 70* to the center of one of the slats 0 The legorbrace-rod 70 carries a number of rings or screw-eyes k", and bracerodk carries at its lower end a hook is, adapted to fit into said rings orscrew-eyes W.

The slats b b in head portion B carry on their under sides staples 19 5These staples carry a slide h This slide has holes 11 for the receptionof stem 22 of head-rest 11*. The side rails 17 h are arranged so thattheir lower ends fit just outside of rails a, a, being pivotallyattached to said rails or aby means of screws or other bearings I) 1).Rails a a have at their ends notches a a on their upper sides, and thelower slat b of head portion B rests in these notches.

The stem b of head-rest b is provided on one side with teeth orcorrugations b Figs. 9 and 10. The slide 11 is provided with holes I),and near each hole is a pawl or dogging device I)". At the side of eachhole 6 is a transverse groove b extending across the slide. The doggingdevice 11 consists preferably of a piece of wire bent angularly into theform of asquare, with the greater part of one of the sides cut away,Fig. 8. 6 Z9 are inserted in holes in the sides of slide 5 and thusbecome pivotal points, Figs. 6 and 7, and the opposite side of thedogging device ts into groove 19 The dogging device I) is shown in itselevated position in Fig. 6 and in its lower or operating position inFigs. 7 and 10. When it is in'its lower or horizontal position, itengages the teeth or corrugations b of head-rest stem b as shown mostclearly in Fig. 10.

The operation and advantages of my lIlJ- proved embalming-couch areapparent.

When the couch is set up as represented in Fig. 1, with the braces inproper position, it stands firmly and substantially and will support aheavy body. The slats a b and c are superior to a solid top, because thespaces between the slats admit of cords or bandages being readily passedor lapped around the body to be embalmed without lifting or moving thebody. By placing hook of bracerod k in a higher or lower ring 70 thetable may be tilted to any desired angle. This is most clearly shown inFig. 2, where it is apparent that if hook 70 be placed in a higher ring70 the leg k will be brought into a more nearly vertical position, andconsequently the foot of the table will be tilted up, while if hook 7cbe placed in a lower ring the foot of the table will be tilted down. Therockers d d allow the table to be more easily tilted, keeping the weightmore nearly over the base or point of contact with the floor, as will bereadily understood. By tilting the foot of the couch high enough therockers d d are brought clear of the floor and the weight rests uponwheels d d", and the couch may thus be easily wheeled aboutthe room orfrom one room to another. The wheels 01 d are preferably detachable andare not shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

The slide b works longitudinally in staples b 11 and hence the head-restmay be readily brought nearer to or removed farther from the bodyportion A. The head-rest may also be adjusted by insertion in dilferentholes 17 The head-rest may be adjusted vertically by means of teeth band the dogging device I),

The ends.

as will be readily understood. When the dogging device 5 fits down ingroove b it does not interfere with slats b when moving the slidelongitudinally.

The couch as above described may be folded up in a comparatively smallspace. This is shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3, 4., and 5. Thehead-rest, which consists of the curved piece If, adapted to receive theback of the head, and the toothed or corrugated stem 1), is firstremoved from slide N. Then the wheels (1 61 may be removed. Then thehead portion B is swung around the pivotal points I9 19 in the directionof the arrowp and the dotted lines in Fig. 2, until slats b rest uponslats a 0, the rails 12 1) fitting along the outer sides of rails act.Then the couch may be turned upside down, if desired, so as to be moreeasily operated. The brace-rod 70 then has its hook k disengaged fromring 70 and is swung around the pivotal point k in the direction ofarrowp and the dotted lines, Fig. 2, until it rests against slats c and0 Then the leg k is swung around the pivotal point of crosspiece 7c inthe direction of arrow 13 and the dotted lines until it rests againstthe slats a a Then each brace-rod f has its hook f disengaged from ringf and is swung around its pivotal point f until it rests against siderail a and cross-piece 70, as shown in Fig. 4. Then braces h h havetheir hooks 77, 71 disengaged from rings 71 h and are swung around theirpivotal points 71. h in the direction of arrow p and the dotted linesuntil they rest against the inner sides of rails c 0. Then the rockers dd are swung around their hinges or pivotal points d d in the directionof arrows 13 p in Fig. 3 until they assume the positions shown in dottedlines in Fig. 3. Then the foot portion 0 is swung around its hinges orpivotal points 9 g in the direction of the arrow 13 and the dotted linesin Fig. 2 until the rails c 0 rest against the rails to a The couch thenhas the appearance and the various parts the positions shown in Fig. 5.The latches r 'r on the ends of rails c c are then inserted in rings t ton rails a a, and the couch is held securely in its folded position, asshown in Fig. 5. This feature of folding into a small space is quitedesirable when the couch is to be carried in a buggy or undertakerswagon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the top of the couch, ofthe rockers sup porting the top and hinged so as to fold beneath saidtop, substantially as set forth.

2. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the top of the couch, ofthe rockers d d supporting said top and hinged so as to fold beneathsaid top, and the brace-rods f f designed to hold said rockers inposition, substantially as set forth.

3. In an embalming couch, the combination,

with the top of the body-portion A, of the rockers (Z (Z supporting saidbody-portion and hinged so as to fold beneath said top, and thehead-portion l3 pivotally attached to said body-portion A so as to foldupon the top of said body-portion A, substantially as set forth.

4:. In an embalmingcouch,the combination, with the body-portion A,having rockers d d hinged so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportionA, of a footportion O hinged so as to fold beneath body-portion A, andbraces 72 h pivotally attached to foot-portion C and designed to engagerings h h in rockers d (Z, so as to hold the foot-portion O in position,substantially as set forth.

5. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion A,having rockers d d hinged so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportionA, and braces ff designed to hold said rockers in position and pivotallyattached so as to fold beneath the top of body-portion A, of ahead-portion l3 pivotally attached so as to fold upon the top ofbody-portion A, an adjustable head-rest carried by said head-portion B,and a foot-portion (3, having braces h h pivotally attached so as tofold beneath footportion 0, said braces being designed to engage rings7L k in rockers cl (1, and said footportion C being hinged or pivotallyattached so as to fold beneath bodyportion A, substantially as setforth.

6. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion Ahaving rockers d d and the depending leg 70 pivotally attached, of thefoot-portion 0 having the depending brace k pivotally attached, saidbrace 76 being designed to engage rings in leg 76 and thus regulate theelevation of the foot of the couch, substantially as set forth,

7. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion A,having the folding rockers (Z d, and a depending leg 70 pivotallyattached so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportion A, of afoot-portion 0 having a depending brace k said brace k being designed toengage rings 70 in leg 75 and being pivotally attached so as to foldbeneath foot-portion 0, and said foot-portion 0 being hinged orpivotally attached so as to fold beneath body-portion A, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM CLOUSER. \Vitnesses:

ALBERT M. MAC-KEELEY, EUGENE L. ARNQTT.

